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Michigan Camp-Meeting

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 11, 1877

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 3, No. 39.

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Michigan Camp-Meeting.

By M. L. C.

The camp at Lansing broke up on Monday morning, October 1. The meeting was from first to last a success. The weather was very fine throughout its entire continuance, and, in consequence, the outside attendance was large, the congregations averaging two thousand people. During the last week one hundred and fifty-two tents were on the ground, and fifteen hundred Sabbath-keepers were present during the last three days.
The religious interest was very deep, especially among the students of the Battle Creek College. This interest was so marked that the school was virtually suspended during the camp-meeting, and the students’ boarding club moved its headquarters to the ground. A few of the students who still remained in town reviewed their studies, and recited as usual. In this way those who were at the meeting were able to go on with their classes upon their return.
About one hundred and fifty students were seeking religion, and special meetings were held for them every day.
The general social meetings were held in the pavilion, and, in order to give opportunity for the greatest number possible to speak, the people were divided into three companies, each having a separate leader, and being carried on simultaneously. As many as three hundred and sixty testimonies were given during a single meeting.
Most of the principal ministers of the denomination were present. Elders Waggoner, Haskell, Canright, Decker, Colcord, Jones, Lamson, Corliss, Lane and many others. Elder White was not able to preach during the meeting; but he spoke briefly on several occasions, testifying to his devotion to the cause, and cheering the hearts of the people to go forward in the great work of truth and reform.
Mrs. White was never more effective in her efforts than at this meeting. She seemed to rise above all infirmities and discouragements, and lifted her voice in denunciation of the wrong, and in favor of the right, with an eloquence and power that seemed to sway the multitude.
On Tuesday, September 25, the S. D. A. Publishing Association held its eighteenth annual meeting on the camp-ground. On Wednesday, September 26, the Health Reform Institute held its eleventh annual session, Elder White, the president, in the chair.
The roll call showed 738 shares represented, which was a majority of the stock. The auditor’s report showed the receipts the past year to have been $36,648.04. Expenditures $33,139.52. Cash on hand to balance $3,508.52. The Institute holds property above all liabilities amounting to $45,876.31. The record showed profits of $9,472.60 on the past year’s business.
The physician-in-chief, J. H. Kellogg, M. D., presented a report of the medical management of the Institute, which showed that 493 patients had been treated the past year with very satisfactory results. The following persons were elected as directors for the coming year: Elder James White, Dr. J. H. Kellogg, Prof. S. Brownsberger, Dr. W. J. Fairfield, O. B. Jones, W. C. White, and Wm. Sisley, all of Battle Creek.
The Health Institute which is now known as the Medical and Surgical Sanitarium, this being but another name for the same institution, operated by the original organization, has been overrun with patients the past year, rendering more room and greater and better facilities necessary to meet the demands of the business. A larger and handsomer building has consequently been erected on the Institute grounds at Battle Creek. It is 123 feet long by 120 deep, five stories in height, including the basement. This is to be furnished with an elevator and all the conveniences and appliances that have yet been discovered for the comfort of patients and the recovery of the sick.
On the same day the Michigan Conference met in business session. Sixty-six churches were represented by seventy-five delegates. Other churches were represented by letter. Credentials were renewed to nineteen ministers; and eighteen persons were licensed to preach. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: Elder J. Fargo, president; Elder E. H. Root and Prof. S. Brownsberger, executive committee with the president; A. B. Oyen, secretary; Mrs. F. H. Sisley, treasurer. The reports showed that the financial condition of the Conference is good notwithstanding the hard times.
On Thursday the Tract and Missionary Society of Michigan held a meeting in which very many interesting facts were developed in regard to the T. and M. work, Elder Haskell addressed the meeting, showing the importance of this branch of the cause, and its steadily growing influence at home and abroad. He stated that the time was when the word missionary signified only a homeless exile among cannibals and heathen; but we now recognize that one of the most important missionary fields is in our own country, and within our personal influence. Especially is this true in America, where every nation is represented, and the influence exerted here, through these representative mediums will spread the truth of God over the whole earth. He stated that there was not a sea-port town, where any of the languages were spoken in which the S. D. A. publications are written, but was furnished with them. They had penetrated even to China and Africa. He encouraged the members of the society to greater zeal and more determined efforts.
On Friday seventy-five persons were baptized in Grand river, and on the Sabbath fifty-eight more were baptized at the same place, and by the same administrators: Elders E. R. Jones and D. H. Lamson. This makes the aggregate number of one hundred and thirty-three who were baptized during the meeting. This approaches the work of the apostles when they baptized three thousand in a single day. Most of those baptized had arrived at an age of discretion, and all were of good standing in society. Many were students at the College.
On the Sabbath at 5 P. M., while many of the congregation went to witness the second baptismal scene the Scandinavians held a meeting in the students’ chapel-tent. There were about twenty-five present of the three nationalities, Danes, Norwegians and Swedes. Elder Johnson, a Norwegian of Wisconsin, led the meeting. As many of the Americans were present it was thought best that those who felt free to speak in the English language might do so. Many expressed their gratitude to God for permitting the truth to be preached to them and for the help the American brethren had given them by opening these missions. Elder Johnson related the close relation in which Elder Matteson was held by his brethren among the Danes and Norwegians, and how that when the cause was in its infancy a few brethren prayed that an efficient laborer might be raised up. Their prayers were answered, and Elder John Matteson who is now a missionary in Denmark has been a successful laborer. He said there were already about eight hundred believers of the Seventh-day Adventist faith among the Scandinavians.
Elder S. N. Haskell being present made remarks that this branch of the work among other tongues had held an important place in his heart. He looked upon it with great pleasure as he saw the opening providences of God in leading out companies here and there in different parts of the world. It was only the fulfillment of the prophecy: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached as a witness to all nations and then shall the end come.”
Some of the American brethren spoke of the interest they had in watching the spread of this message among these different tongues. Earnest appeals and prayers were made that more laborers be raised up to go among these different nationalities.
The Scandinavians entered into the spirit of this camp-meeting with as much zeal as the Americans, and perfect harmony exists between them and the Americans.
On Sunday, September 30, the crowd was even larger than on the previous Sunday. Excursion trains were run over the Lake Shore road, and also over the Chicago and Lake Huron road. Thirteen cars, crowded with people came from Port Huron, a single station on the latter road. Probably more than ten thousand people were on the ground during the day. Every vehicle in town was employed in conveying people to and from the grounds.
The speakers for the day were Elders D. M. Canright, U. Smith, Mrs. White, Elder J. H. Waggoner, and S. N. Haskell. Mrs. White resumed the subject of Christian temperance where she left it the previous Sunday. The two lectures, taken together, made a very broad and thorough exposition of what true temperance is, in the most comprehensive signification of the word. The speaker was heard with the deepest attention by the vast crowd in and around the pavilion.
The most perfect order prevailed during the day; and indeed this is true of the entire camp-meeting. There was no symptom of disturbance from first to last. Only two of the camp-meeting committee were able to be on the ground. Elder Fargo, the president of the Conference, lay sick with typhoid fever at the Sanitarium in Battle Creek. Elder E. H. Root of Wright, and Elder M. J. Cornell of Battle Creek, bore the whole burden of the management of the camp, and their indefatigable industry and energy deserves the highest commendation.
The camp broke up on Monday morning, and the inhabitants took their departure for their various homes.
One of the pleasant features of the camp-meeting was the cordial good-will evinced by the citizens of Lansing for the people in camp, and the evident respect in which they held them. The acquaintances made last year at the former camp-meeting, seems to have prejudiced the Lansing people in favor of Seventh-day Adventists. The meeting was reported in nearly all the daily papers in the State including those of Detroit, and in the Chicago Times, Tribune and Inter-Ocean.
M. L. C.